“Where everybody is somebody.”

Tiger Happenings

Volume 2, Issue 17, Oct. 1, 2015

Grambling State University

403 Main Street

Grambling, Louisiana 71245

Phone: 318.247.3811

Toll Free: 800.569.4714

Grambling Celebrates 114 Years of Excellence

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President’s Corner

Willie D. Larkin, Ph.D.

President

Grambling Remembers Doris Robinson

Our venerable institution is

alive, strong and doing well,

and we will continue to grow

stronger in the days to come.

Ignore those who speak ill of

Grambling State University.

Ignore those who say ours is

“just another HBCU” on its way

to extinction. HBCUs and GSU

are neither dead nor dying. We

will not move over. We will not

step aside. We will not give

up. We will make progress. We

will survive. We will thrive.

Grambling State’s best years

are ahead. Higher education is

central to individual and

community success, and we

must continue to see it as a

central element for our young

people and those seeking to

get ahead. (read more)

Grambling State University leaders open Founder’s Week with a ceremony at the

bust of Grambling’s founder, Charles P. Adams, on Sept. 28.

In 1901, the Colored Industrial and Agricultural School emerged from the desire of

African-American farmers in rural, northern Louisiana to educate their children and

inspire them to pursue a better life. Now, 114 years later, Grambling celebrated the

vision of its founder, Charles P. Adams, to help people pursue their dreams of

obtaining a college education with a Founder’s Day Convocation on Sept. 29.

Founder’s Day Convocation Speaker Eddie Martin followed his older sister to

Grambling State University in 1981 to begin the “start of something special.”

“I arrived at Grambling State University with a pocket full of dreams, a solid founda-

tion of faith and with the idea that one day I am going to get a good job,” Martin

said. “During those four years, it took a lot of work and determination.” (read more)

Family, friends and loved ones of Doris Robinson, the wife

of legendary Coach Eddie Robinson, honored her at a

Celebration of Life service at T.H. Harris Auditorium on

Sept. 24. Mrs. Robinson, who passed away at the age of

96, was fondly remembered by her friends, family and

loved ones as the First Lady of Football, the Matriarch of

Grambling Athletics, and the First Lady of Fashion, as she

was dubbed by longtime friend, Pauline Lee.

“Now most people talk about Doris as the first lady of

football. She was also the first lady of fashion. If you

wanted to keep up with the latest style or fashion, all you

had to do was check what Doris was wearing. (read more)

“Where everybody is somebody.”

Tiger Happenings

Purchase Tickets for the Red River State Fair Classic Today!

Grambling Professors Show the Importance of Giving Back to the Community

Three Grambling State University

professors were honored for their service

learning work during the 2014-2015

school year at the Lunch, Learn and

Appreciate event on Sept. 24.

Mary Ghongkedze, an assistant professor

of curriculum and instruction, Matt

Sheptoski, an assistant professor of

sociology, and Catherine Bonner, a

lecturer of English, were selected from

more than 80 projects to receive the

Banner Recognition for Outstanding

Service Learning Projects.

“They were chosen for having

outstanding, good projects. We look at

all the projects and see which ones have

great impact. We have a lot of

outstanding projects, so it is hard to

narrow them down,” said Rory Bedford, director of the Office of Service Learning.

Shown from left to right are President Willie Larkin, Matt Sheptoski, an

assistant professor of sociology, Beatrice McKinsey standing in for

Catherine Bonner, a lecturer of English, Mary Ghongkedze, an assistant

professor of curriculum and instruction, and Rory Bedford, director of

Service Learning.

The Red River State Fair Classic is returning to Shreveport!

Grambling fans will not want to miss the opportunity to see

the return of this great college football rivalry as the Tigers

battle Texas Southern University at 2 p.m. on Nov. 7. The

game will be held at Shreveport’s Independence Stadium

during the final weekend of the State Fair.

Game-day activities include tailgating, a parade at noon

from the Fairground Baseball Field to Independence

Stadium, kickoff at 2 p.m. and the Battle of the Bands

halftime performance. Tickets can be purchased at

www.ticketmaster.com or at Grambling Ticket Office,

Independence Stadium, Shreveport Federal Credit Union,

Barksdale Air Force Base or the State Fair of Louisiana. For

more information, visit http://redriverstatefairclassic.com.

After touring Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe last year, Grambling’s Psychology and Sociology club mem-

bers asked their adviser, Sheptoski, if they could organize a book drive to collect more reading materials for Rich-

wood’s small library. Sheptoski, along with club President Jack Chandler, delivered more than 225 books for the

inmates at Richwood. (read more)

Showcasing Gramblinites who shine.

Show your stripes

Questions, additions or comments? Contact mediarelations@gram.edu or call 318-274-2866.

Giving back is your best gift, donations accepted here.

Carroll High School Athletic Complex Named After James “Shack” Harris

Homecoming Golf Classic Renamed in Honor of Founder Fred Hearn, Jr.

Grambling State University alumnus James “Shack” Harris is returning to his high

school alma mater, Carroll High School in Monroe, where the high school’s athletic

complex will be named in his honor as part of the school’s Homecoming celebration

on Oct. 2.

“It’s a great honor because that’s where I got my start. Carroll High School pre-

pared me for college and the rest of my life. It’s really a great honor because so

many others could have been chosen. I am excited to be back at Homecoming to

watch the Bulldogs win!” Harris said.

Carroll High School Football Coach Jackie Hamilton had the idea to name the

athletic complex after Harris. He cannot imagine a better role model for the

students at Carroll High School than Harris, who has always taken an active role in

the high school.

“He was one of those guys that always made the school proud of him,” said Hamilton. “He was a great

quarterback here, then he went off to Grambling. I was younger, but I always looked up to him since he was such

a class act.”

Harris played as a quarterback for legendary Coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling, where he set a new passing

yardage record with 4,705 yards. Harris was drafted to the Buffalo Bills in 1969, where he became the first Black

quarterback to start an entire season as a professional football player. During his 12-year career, he also played

for the Los Angeles Rams and San Diego Chargers. Harris retired from his position as a senior personnel

executive with the Detroit Lions in February. (read more)

James Harris

The Grambling University National Alumni Association is holding the 9th Annual Scholarship

Golf Classic Homecoming weekend. The classic will begin at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 23 at

Trails End Golf Course in Arcadia. All proceeds will provide scholarships for Grambling

State University students.

The tournament has been renamed the Fred D. Hearn, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Golf Clas-

sic, in honor of the tournament’s founder, Fred Hearn, Jr., who passed away on March 2.

Hearn was a 1965 graduate of Grambling who gave his time, money and expertise to cre-

ate the golf tournament to raise money for student scholarships at Grambling. A short me-

morial and renaming ceremony will be held at 8:45 a.m.

Hearn graduated from GSU in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Arts in

1965. He moved to Chicago and worked as an industrial arts teacher with Chicago Public Schools for 35 years. He

also earned three master’s degrees in urban teacher education, psychology and education (read more)

Fred Hearn, Jr.